Ophelia heard coughing and looked over to see that General Hart had choked on his own drink. General LeRoy who was sitting next to him looked like he was on the verge of tears as he covered his mouth holding back his laughter. Lionel shamelessly laughed upon hearing Ophelia's response. General Spade chuckled watching Spencer groan holding his face in his hands.

The only two unaffected by her announcement was Duval and Darius.

Duval seemed apathetic to the situation while Darius seemed amused. A pleased look appeared on the omega's face and his eyes twinkled with excitement. "That so?" he asked in a libidinous tone. He sat up straight leaning his face on one of his hands that rested against the armrest. The flirtatious tone was not lost on anyone in the tent.

Ophelia noticed the startled and slightly uncomfortable looks that the others had. Cocking an eyebrow feeling just as confused as everyone else she replied, "Yeah." In the most casual tone possible. Ophelia felt Spencer's glare dig into the side of her face. She could almost hear him nagging about how she couldn't just be so casual with the commander.

But Darius seemed unbothered by her tone and gave her a toothy grin. "Who'd you kill?" he asked, "Soldiers from Snowfel," Ophelia replied, everyone, staring at their exchange was beginning to feel annoying. Not that Ophelia wanted to speak with Darius in private or to have him to herself.

It just felt like everyone thought she was flirting back. She was just making a report... That's all... Nothing more. "How'd you do it?" Darius asked, scanning her body, his eyes stopped at the coat that hung on her arm. It was soaked darkly now and Ophelia could still smell copper radiating off of her.

"Turns out I was right, an axe is just as good as a sword." Ophelia replied a bit sarcastically, Darius snorted hearing this, "You killed five soldiers with just an axe?" Ophelia turned and saw the surprised look on LeRoy's face. "Yes. It's all I had on me at the time. I was gathering firewood." Ophelia replied before looking back at Darius. "Where were you?" Darius questioned, "In the forest just south of the camp. The soldiers came from the east in the forest." Ophelia replied. "They looked like they were a scouting unit so I thought it was best to get rid of them," Ophelia added.

"Don't you think it was a little cruel to just kill them?" Ophelia turned to see a disgusted look on general Hart's face. Not unsurprising, Hart was best known for his diplomacy, he usually was used in the army to meet with nobility or create alliances. It was expected that someone who preferred a pen to a sword would find the cruelty of war disgusting. But for Ophelia, it was no different than hunting. Because in the end, it was either her or them.

"They drew their weapons." Ophelia defended herself, "Also if I let them go they would've reported our position. I could see the campfire smoke from the forest." She added narrowing her eyes slightly. "But still you could've-!" Hart tried to argue, but Darius spoke up, "We're at war Hart. At least Reeds understands that." Darius glared at the general, "If she would've kept them alive they would've run their mouths." Darius scolded, sitting up straight and crossing his legs. "It's better to wet your hands with the enemy's blood than let your people's blood be spilled." Lionel put in his two cents as he leaned back in his chair folding his arms.

Hart shrunk in his seat looking annoyed, Ophelia felt pleased that he got the message. She turned to look back to Darius but went stiff when she saw the coy look on his face. with his legs crossed and the tips of his fingers grazing his lips. He grinned up at her with half-lidded eyes, Ophelia felt her eye twitch. Either he was really trying to flirt with her or he was fucking with her.

"Can I-..." Ophelia tried to ask if she could leave, it was hard to stand there and pretend to be unaffected by the looks Darius was giving her. "You know Reeds." Darius spoke cutting her off before she could ask, "You're the first alpha woman in the army." He remarked, Ophelia took a breath, "I managed to gather that." Ophelia deadpanned, "Ophelia." Spencer scolded, and a dirty look was shot Spencer's way by Darius. The omega was visibly angry at Spencer for speaking up.

Ophelia glanced at Spencer who looked pale under Darius's glare. "I've been doing some reading," Darius spoke up a bit louder getting her attention on him again. "Okay...?" Ophelia was unsure where this was going. Or why Darius thought now was the time to chit-chat. "What'd you read about?" Ophelia tried to be involved with the conversation, obviously he was going somewhere with this. She was too curious not to respond.

"Well," Darius uncrossed his legs and recrossed them in the opposite direction. "I read that it's common for alpha women to get names after things that almost killed them." Darius motioned to Ophelia, "is that true for you?" he questioned. Ophelia stared at Darius feeling annoyed by being on the receiving end of whatever this was. She decided to meet his energy and smirked, "Are you asking me if my parents tried to drown me?" She asked walking towards him. She closed the distance and stood mere inches in front of Darius.

The omega man smiled and looked up at her resting his chin on his hand. "Well, when you put it like that... It makes me sound rude." Darius replied with a smile on his face, Ophelia snorted and folded her arms leaning towards him so she towered over him. "Do I look like someone that can happen to?" She asked, "Cadet..." Ophelia heard harsh warning whispers from behind her. She ignored them, they could stay out of this, this was between her and the little man in front of her.

But rather than being offended by Ophelia's brash behavior, Darius's smile grew. He tilted his head up towards her. "You're a little tall, why don't you lean down and say it?" He retorted with a thickly flirtatious tone to his voice. "Sure," Ophelia replied placing her hands over Darius's head as she leaned down they were nearly nose to nose when General Spade cleared his throat. "Should we give you two some privacy...?" He questioned.

Darius had started to reach for her face and froze in place as if he had forgotten everyone else was there. Ophelia stood up feeling strange, she had forgotten as well... She wasn't embarrassed, it was just... Ophelia looked back down at Darius. She wasn't usually like this, what was it about this man that did these things to her?

Darius eyed Ophelia before sighing loudly. He then went to stand up, Ophelia stepped aside allowing him the room to do so. Once standing Darius spoke, "Duval add to Reed's account two silver." He announced, "Yes commander." Duval replied with a nod, "Why are you adding additional pay?" LeRoy questioned, "She took care of something that could've caused a surprise attack, LeRoy." Darius replied headed over to the table with a map of the area spread out on it. He looked down at it resting his hands on the table. "She also gave us the advantage as well..." He added, Ophelia looked over at Darius watching his eyes scan the table with a grin on his lips.

It was different than the usual grins on his face that he gave her. Coy, snide, teasing smiles were usually sent her way by Darius. But this one was scheming and Ophelia could see the gears moving in Darius's mind just from his expression. At that moment it began to be more real to her that this man was in fact the commander of the army and his title was not just in name.

"Reeds," Darius called her name pulling Ophelia out of her thoughts, Ophelia perked up seeing him not even look at her as he beckoned her with his finger. Ophelia approached standing beside him, "Show me exactly where you were." He demanded, Ophelia scanned the map. "Commander she probably doesn't even know how to read a map. She's just a cadet." LeRoy spoke up, Ophelia glanced up at LeRoy before pointing to her exact location. "I was about ten trees in, so about right here," Ophelia spoke, and the tent went silent.

"How do you know how to read a map? Half of our recruits don't even know that." LeRoy was bewildered, "I'm as learned as I need to be." Ophelia replied simply, despite her stoic expression she felt smug seeing the look on LeRoy's face. "Their bodies should be next to the fifteenth tree. With the exception of one, he's near the twentieth." Ophelia explained looking back at Darius. "Why'd he get so far away?" Darius questioned curiously. "He tried to run." Ophelia replied, a slight smile forming on her lips finding some humor in the gruesome situation. "he didn't make it." She added, "Obviously, some other cadets found your work already." Spencer deadpanned.

"That means their camp should be right around here then," Darius spoke reaching over Ophelia's hand that was still on the map. He glanced up at her out of the corner of his eye before placing a flag near a mountain. "It's a little warm in Snowfel. So they're going to be hiding next to anything that can block harsh winds like hills or mountains." He explained. His hand grazed over hers as he moved back. "I see..." Ophelia spoke, "I'll keep that in mind." She added unsure how else to respond. She moved her hand back and another flag was placed where her hand was by Darius.

"How do you know that some of them didn't make it?" Hart questioned, Ophelia was about to reply when she felt a hand resting on the small of her back, a brief glance over at Darius told her everything. The commander was trying to pat her on the back, but he was a bit short to reach anywhere while still being subtle about it. "They didn't, trust me." Ophelia decided to reply calmly. Darius's flirting didn't bother her so much when it was subtle like this. "But how can you be sure? I've seen soldiers recover from serious injuries!" Hart exclaimed looking frustrated.

"How do you know they didn't just push through an injury and make it back to their camp?!" He rose his voice, for some reason Hart had a problem with all the praise Ophelia was receiving. Though Ophelia wasn't sure about the nature of her praise being entirely professional. It'd certainly be exhausting if Darius flirted with every cadet performing well. "I cut their heads off." Ophelia deadpanned having enough.

Hart went pale and mum heard this, "What?" Both Spade and LeRoy questioned. "People are surprisingly sturdy despite being fragile. Removing their heads from their necks was the only way I can think of making sure they didn't get back up." Ophelia felt Darius's hand slip lower, she stiffened up and tried to ignore it. His flirtations didn't bother Ophelia by themselves, if they had been alone, his wandering hand would be a different subject altogether.

Ophelia's mind briefly flashed to her leaning over him previously. It's likely she'd have him pinned against something by now. Ophelia kept her expression stoic, there was no need to tell everyone what she was thinking by her look alone. "Good job Reeds." Darius praised her, Ophelia looked over at him, a smug smile on his lips. The little bastard was having too much fun teasing her. Ophelia rose her brows, he was lucky they weren't alone, Ophelia wondered how long his little smug smile would be on his lips then.

Then again, judging by how he was acting, that was probably something he planned for. "Thanks." Ophelia smiled slightly at him, what a little snake. Ophelia let out a soft breath, he was lucky he was cute. She felt Darius lightly pat her back, "Do more good work like this and you'll get even greater rewards." Darius encouraged her. Ophelia perked up hearing this, greater rewards? Ophelia wondered if this was offered to others as well. Though she got the feeling, the rewards Darius was thinking of weren't quite the same as what was offered to others if that was the case.

Ophelia deciding to tease him a bit replied, "Money is just fine with me Commander." Instantly an annoyed expression formed on Darius's face, Ophelia couldn't fight the smile on her lips. "That so?" He didn't like her response, he looked back to the map and Ophelia held back a snort. Was he pouting? Ophelia certainly didn't want him to think she was refusing him. Despite her annoyance, the little man was fun to play with."But if you choose to reward me in other ways, who am I to refuse?" Ophelia decided to be nice for once. No need to humiliate him in front of the other generals after all.

Darius glanced back at her looking a bit more pleased. "Good to know." Ophelia felt Darius's hand leave her back. Although a bit slowly, that might of just been her imagination. "You're dismissed Reeds." Darius announced after a moment, "Thank you, commander." Ophelia replied leaving just a moment after that.

Ophelia felt eyes linger on her backside as she left, only stopping when Spencer followed after her. Once outside of the strategy tent, Ophelia took a moment to collect herself. Did she just spend the last twenty minutes flirting with the commander in front of the generals and her commanding officer? Ophelia put her hands on her hips letting out a sigh at the same time as Spencer. The two of them looked at each other, "Did you... Get the feeling he was...?" Spencer questioned carefully. Ophelia looked at her commanding officer considering everything before looking away.

Feeling her brow twitch she smiled despite herself, "I should spend more time in forests." She remarked a bit jokingly. Though she was sorely tempted... Spencer let out a noise of disbelief. "Fucking hell, you two...!" He groaned looking instantly like he had a headache.